Kay Hagan

Janet Kay Hagan (26 May 1953-) was the US Senator from North Carolina (D) from 3 January 2009 to 3 December 2015, succeeding Elizabeth Dole and preceding Thom Tillis.

Biography
Janet Kay Ruthven was born in Shelby, North Carolina on 26 May 1953, the niece of Florida governor Lawton Chiles. She was raised in Lakeland, Florida, and her family became one of the wealthiest and influential families in southwest central Florida after her father, a real estate developer, became Mayor of Lakeland. Hagan graduated from Florida State University in 1975 and from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1978, pursuing a career as an attorney and banker. From 1999 to 2003, she served in the North Carolina Senate as the representative from the 32nd district, and she represented its 27th district from 2003 to 2009 as a result of redistricting. She supported expanded background checks on gun purchasers (while voting against an assault weapons ban), supported Obamacare, opposed tobacco regulation, voted against the DREAM Act, supported abortion rights and Planned Parenthood, supported gay marriage, and voted for the repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Act. In 2014, she was narrowly defeated by Republican Party candidate Thom Tillis 48.82% to 47.26%, a slight 1.56% majority.